How loud do you listen to your music?

The nice link GH provided unfortunately uses Hearing Level (based on an average threshold of hearing) rather than Sound Pressure Level (based of .0002 dynes/square cm). RS meters read SPL, although scales other than C attempt to mimic hearing sensitivity. Forced-choice techniques show that 0 dB HL is high by maybe 10 dB, i.e. sensitivity is underestimated.

Jazz at the Pawnshop at the level I prefer averaged 75 dB(C) with peaks to 80 with slow trajectory. I'm sure certain passages of Mahler's 2nd, for example, exceed that, because the dynmaic range is so large.

db

Photon,

Except for very high levels, gun shots for example, hearing loss tends to be induced by fairly continuous exposure. I wouldn't be surprised if some musicians do suffer hearing loss, espcially those who play at rock concerts. The danger of noise exposure is adaptation: It needs to be louder and louder to seem loud.

Set your meter to slow trajectory on the C scale (essentially flat) with 0 dB reference (the middle of the meter range) set at 80 dB SPL, and sit in your customary seat. If the meter runs off scale often (which i doubt it will), move the range up or down as needed. You may be surprised the level is not as high as you imagined.

I've attended lots of recitals of two to five musicians at Stanford, and should attend those at the Music Academy of the West here in Montecito, where they run a master program with noted artists helping advanced students. It's a good way to calibrate yourself.

db